11:49 PM,
Apr. 30, 2013

Amtrak ridership has increased steadily over the past 12 years, but has lost money every year since its inception in 1971.

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After the recession-induced dip in 2008-09, Amtrak has continued its year-over-year increases in ridership; in fact, March was the single biggest month of ridership in the history of the railroad. Ridership quickly recovered from the ravages of Superstorm Sandy, and the company expects the number of passengers to exceed last year's record of 31.2 million.

The success in ridership has not changed the reliance of the company on direct federal subsidies, which started when Amtrak began operating on May 1, 1971.

Congress passed the Rail Passenger Service Act in 1970 after intense lobbying ...